“STRENGTHENING THE FRAGILE PACIFIC ISLANDS ENERGY SECTOR – Addressing energy, economy and environment in a period of rapid change”

IUCN-Oceania will be participating in the Energy Officials and related Energy Ministers Meeting to be held in Nuku’alofa, Tonga from 20 – 24 April 2009. IUCN’s objective at the meetings will be to impress upon Ministers and officials the linkages between energy and biodiversity. The production and use of energy can have both positive and negative impacts on biodiversity. Moreover, the negative impacts on the already fragile ecosystems in some Pacific Island Countries can be profound and counter-productive if little attention is given to the critical role biodiversity systems play in sustaining our livelihoods. IUCN given its core business on the conservation of natural resources can play an important role in the advocacy and awareness-raising, on how energy systems impact the ecosystems, at the above meetings.